Story [Warhammer Age of Reckoning] The Proof Of My Innocence (Dear Diary Challenge 2011-Updated 14/01/11)

Title: The Proof Of My InnocenceAuthor: Nadia-OomiaCharacters: Jared Claxton and random OC's that I may want to add in Genre: JournalDisclaimer: This is a fanfic based off of the WAR game, all places and characters from the game belong to MYTHIC Entertainment and EA Games, this is merely a playground for my characters, mostly because theirs haven't been built yet Note:Now, let us begin....

Entry 1 14/01/11

My name is Jared, Jared Claxton. That is really all I can say about myself since I already know who I am and no one else will probably ever read this, but I am a long way from home, I'm cold, wet, hungry, and I've lost my best friend and now my only companions are my horse and this journal, both of which can't talk back, which is sad since it would really be nice to talk to someone right now, even some random peasant walking the streets.

But unfortunately it's the middle of the night and particularly stormy outside, so only a loony would be out on a night like this. I guess that would make me crazy since I've had to trudge in this mess. But, you are not here to hear me complain, I need to write everything down in the order in which these events transpired while it is still fresh in my mind's eye. It may take some time but I must set the record straight, for I have been wrongly accused.

What have I falsely been accused of you ask? Well, in short, I've been accused of murder. I didn't do it, obviously, but it seems that my accuser had conjured up quite a lot of evidence, plus a compelling story, against me, but, I will not stand for this, my honor will not be scarred and scandalized. I am only sad that my friend, James Moonrise, can't be here to defend me in this scandal, but I also understand why he can't, still, it hurts to lose a friend, especially one like James. My only hope now is to clear my name or spend the rest of my days trying for I will not be run out of my home over something to which I am innocent.

I guess I should start from the beginning of these events, but my mind seems to be having a hard time figuring where it all began, this accursed mess, what was really the first thing that I had said or done to make the beginning of my end? What did I do to tie the noose about my neck? I guess it started when I saw that one thing that I wasn't suppose to see, that dark figure...But, that couldn't have been it, could it? But, it was gone so fast I wasn't even sure it was humanly possible or
real. Look at me, blubbering over something so irrelevant, or is it? Well, it has to pertain to something. I am now

convinced that that one event was the start of it all. I can't remember the exact date of when this happened, I don't think it quite matters, when people read what I am about to write down they will throw me into the loony bin, but, I am duty bound to write it.

I was in the marketplace, not really for any particular reason but to keep the riff raff at bay. I loved the marketplace, the smell of freshly baked bread, the sound of street musicians playing their music freely up and down the streets accompanied by dancers full of grace and elegance. I was so caught up in it all that I didn't pay much attention to anything else, but when I came back to reality I realized that I was lost on an unfamiliar part of the market. Strange, you'd think
that someone like me, living most of their life in this city and then get lost in part of the market place, I don't quite

know either, how I got there, that is, I thought I knew every nook and cranny of the entire city but somehow this took me by surprise. There were performers, fire breathers, dancers, people barking out their wares, hoping that people would buy, but everything felt wrong about this place, the hairs on my skin crawled, I needed to get out of this place, now. Then, I saw it, out of the corner of my eye. I turned and there it was, staring at me through a black cloak, or at least, I thought it was staring at me, the hood was as dark as the rest of him. I blinked and then he was gone, a second later I was also gone from that place in the market.

I could tell you that after that day in the marketplace I didn't think of that ghost like figure, but then I would be lying. I did think of that day, I thought about it a lot, I couldn't get rid of that gut wrenching feeling that I had that day. It wasn't fear, it felt more like a warning, like I should be cautious, every time that event edged into my mind it would come back tighter than before. Why didn't I listen to it? I'm starting to think I wasn't suppose to see that thing in the market. Someone wants me out of the way, I think it has something to do with that dark matter, in fact, I'm sure it has something to do with it. Somehow, it is connected to everything. I don't have proof, but I will.

A few weeks later I found myself questioning my superiors authority. My commanding officer sent me on a patroling mission way outside my juristdiction; not to mention a task way below my rank. But what was even more suspicious was that I wasn't going to have anyone escorting me or accompanying me to finish the job. Usually you would have a partner along with you to keep accountability when writing a report, but no one was assighned to me or vice versa.

Normally I wouldn't have questioned this. Actually, I don't know why I didn't I just do what I was assigned. It was a long way from Altdorf to the wooded area around Grey Lady Inn and it was an assignment that would take me most of the night. Why anyone would have to check out the woods is a mystery to me; the pillagers and savages haven't caused any trouble for quite some time now. Instead of patroling I should have been in council planning the next strategic battle.

I'm getting away from my point. I decided it would be a good idea to start in the middle of the forest when I came upon a house. At least, it used to be a house. When I came to the structure it was completely engulfed in yellow, orange and red flames, as well as copeious amounts of smoke. As I got closer I began to cough and my eyes burned from the smoke. What made me go into the smoke? Well, I thought that I had seen something moving, someone who couldn't find their way out in the smoke. As I searched I found myself coming into a clearing, away from the smoke and the burning house.

That's when I saw the strange thing.

I saw a dark shadowy figure. I was completely certain it was the same figure that I had seen in the marketplace. I felt the blood drain from my face as it dissapeared into the night. My mind forgot about the burning house, the thick smoke that filled my lungs, making them sore. What I also couldn't shake was...

I couldn't really tell if I saw anything, it was so dark and the smoke didn't help much. As I broke through the trees all I could see were trees and more trees, you know, like a forest. It was then I doubted that I saw anything; maybe it was just the lack of sleep on such a late night, or the fumes of the burning house getting to my head. There wasn't anything I could do about the inferno, although I felt certain there wasn't anyone inside; I don't know why, but I had a very strong feeling that there wasn't. I found it strange that I didn't have a sense of urgency, but I blamed it on my lack of rest making me less alert than I ought to be. Once I finished the round and went back to the castle in Altdorf I wrote my report like any other knight. I wrote about the blazing house which would most likely be investigated and the surrounding woods checked to make sure there weren't any stray sparks that could start a forest fire. I don't think that is going to happen, mostly because there was hardly any wind that night and I was in the middle of a huge clearing. Anyway, I wrote everything as I saw it, but I omitted the part about the dark figure. I'm pretty certain that it was my eyesight playing trick on me. I thought that then but, now, I'm not so sure. Although I had written that report and submitted it the same day, the strangest thing happened a few days later...